New Community Kitchen Brings Hope A new grassroots community kitchen will soon offer nutritious meals and compassionate hope beginning in May. The Com - munity Kitchen of Hope (CKOH) will serve dinner three days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the First Bap - tist Church on 20 Centre Street West in Strathroy. “Meals will be free, and everyone will be welcome. No questions asked,” explains TJ Fonville, the man behind the idea. TJ, a retired engineer living in Strathroy, came up with the idea after volunteering at 37 Franks Café Youth Centre and seeing that many kids were coming in to eat dinner. “People are struggling these days to put food on the table,” TJ adds. “I felt this calling to do something more to help relieve some of that burden.” TJ’s first step was to talk with the many stakeholders and com - munity groups already doing great work in Strathroy. He con - tacted the Municipality, Middlesex-London Health Unit, CMHA, community organizations like the Salvation Army, and several local churches. Support for his initiative has quickly gained momentum. TJ now has a small committee to help and a location thanks to Pas - tor Dave Adams, who offered First Baptist’s kitchen and gym to cook and serve the meals. The committee members are Ray DeBoer, Gwen Waeijens and Sheila Pelleboer. Other communi - ty groups have committed to providing the supplies for several of the first 12 meals CKOH will offer in May. “The response has been amazing,” says TJ. “It’s heartwarming to see so many people wanting to be a part of this.” Anyone interested in donating food supplies or volunteering to help make and serve meals for CKOH can email TJ at: info.strathroyckoh@gmail.com.
Mom's Chicken Pot Pie Submitted by TJ Fonville on behalf of Community
Kitchen of Hope Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins
Additional Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 8 Dish: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan
INGREDENTS • 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 2/3 cup milk • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken • 1 (14.5 ounce) can peas and carrots • 1/2 (15 ounce) can whole new potatoes, drained • 1 (14.1 ounce) package double-crust pie pastry, thawed DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, flour, salt, and pepper in hot butter until onion is trans - lucent, about 5 minutes. 3. Pour in broth and milk; bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in chicken, peas and carrots, and potatoes. 4. Press one pie pastry into the bottom of a 9-inch, deep-dish pie pan. Pour chicken mixture into pie pastry. Top with remaining pastry and press edges together to seal. Cut several slits in top pastry. Place pie on a baking sheet. 5. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let pie cool and filling thicken at room tempera - ture for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Source: www.allrecipes.com/recipe/234974/moms-chicken-pot-pie
After 27 years in business, Doreen and Sheila are retiring from KYIS. Their hard work and dedication built a strong foundation and now Lisa, Jenn, and Belle will carry on the great work. Wishing Doreen and Sheila all the best in retirement.
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Hometown Strathroy-Caradoc May 2025
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